Instrument for the treatment of fingernails



Aug. 30, 1949. G. A. CARLSON 2,480,446

INSTRUMENT FOR THE TREATMENT OF FINGERNAILS Filed March 30, 1945 Q Zia/672222; 44/46 62 %W Patented Aug. 39, 194i;

INSTRUMENT FOR THE TREATMENT OF FINGERNAILS Gustav A. Carlson, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Boye Needle Company, Chicago, 111., a corpora-- tion of Illinois Application March 30, 1945, Serial No. 585,644 A (01. 132-73) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination instrument for the treatment ofcuticle and finger nails, and more particularly to a device for pressing the cuticle about the finger nail toward the flesh of the finger and for cleaning finger nails.

An object of the invention is to provide a device having a thin, relatively sharp edge for pressing finger cuticle toward the flesh of the finger. Another object is to provide in a device having a thin, sharp-end edge, a. cutaway portion on the under surface which permits the edge to be brought into engagement. with the finger nail cuticle at a desired angle. A further object'is to provide aninstrument having an arcuate end portion, cut awayon the lower side and provided with a thin, relatively sharp-end edge for engaging the cuticle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device in which is combined means for engaging the cuticle on a finger nail and a sharp edge, angularly disposed with respect to the body of the device, for cleaning finger nails. Another object is to provide a device having an edge disposed at an acute angle with respect to the axis of the device for cleaning finger nails. Still another object is to provide in a device for cleaning finger nails, a plurality of sharp edges disposed at different acute angles with respect to the axis of the instrument.

Other features and advantages will appear from the following specification and drawings, in Which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, showing the same embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention described herein, the device consists of a long body member I0, which may be round or circular in cross section and may be madeof any suitable material. Preferably, the device is made of a resinous or plastic material which is hard, smooth, and on which the ends may be readily machined or cut to the desired shape. The material may be of any suitable color, and in the case of a resinous material the color may be introduced into the material before molding so as to provide uniform color throughout.

At one end of the body member III is an end portion II which is thin and extends to an end edge I2 which is relatively sharp. Preferably, as shown, the end portion II is arcuate in shape, with the upper surface I3 being curved downwardly as it approaches the end edge I2. The lower surface 2' I4 may be cut away. Preferably, as shown, this lower surface I4 is also curved, and as it approaches the end edge I2 may curve first upwardly and then downwardlyfl At the end edge I2, the upper and lower surfaces I3 and I4 preferably approach parallel relation. The end portion II maybe made arcuate by machining or otherwise, forming upper and lower surfaces which are straight and fiat in a plane transverse to the axis of the body member [I], but arcuate and curved in a vertical plane passing longitudinally through the axis of the body member ID. v 3

-The end edge I2 is preferably substantially transverse to the axis of the body member In, but of course need not be right-angularly disposed with respect to this axis. l

At the other .end of the bodymember Ill is an edge portion I5 which is arranged to provide a plurality of longitudinal edges disposed at acute angles with respect to the axis of the body member ID. The end portion I5 may be provided with fiat sides I6, I1 and I8 forming between them edges I9, 20 and 2i. As shown, the angle formed by the junction of these fiat sides may in each case be in the neighborhood of However, any other desired angular relationship between the fiat sides is suitable.

The edges I9, 20 and 2| are each disposed longitudinally at an acute angle with respect to the axis of the body member I I], and in each case this acute angle is diiferent. This may be accomplished by merely extending the edges I9, 20 and 2| from the central axis of the body member II] at the point 22 to the various portions 23, 24 and 25 along the body member I0. Since the radial distance between the two ends of each edge is the same by making the edges of different longitudinal distances or lengths, the angles of the edges with respect to the axis of the body member are necessarily different.

Instead of three edges, any desired plurality of edges may be used, and the angular relationship of the two sides which form each edge and the angular relationship of the edge and the axis of the body member II] may be varied as desired.

In use, the end portion II of the body member I0 is designed for engaging the cuticle on a finger nail and pressing the cuticle toward the fiesh of the finger. The body member Ill may be placed above the finger nail at a very slight angle with respect to the finger nail and the edge I2 brought into engagement with the cuticle. By merely pressing the edge against the cuticle, the cuticle is moved toward the flesh of the finger. The cutaway portion l4 permits the body member Hi to be nearly parallel to the surface of the finger nail while permitting the edge to engage the cuticle.

In the cleaning of finger nails, the end portion 15 is placed beneath the finger nail. One of the edges I9, 20 or.- 2l. is,brought intmengagement with the: under'surface: of the nail; The edge which is used will be that which corresponds most closely in its angular relationship with re-* spect to the axis of the member Ill to the angular relationship between the under-surface. ofv By providing" cleaning edges arranged at difierent-angleszwithrespect to the body member; a-. cleaning; edge;

the finger nail and the finger.

particularly suited for various types of nails is available for use.

By reason of the triangular disposition of the cleaning edges I9, 20 and 2|, the surf-ace opposite each of these edges is fiat and substantially parallel to the: finger. surface; beneath the,- nail. Thisds an advantage. oh thegtriangular. dispositionof thecleaning edges: whichlmakesathis 1 arrangement preferredz.

Cotton. or other. Similar; softtmaterialrmay be .1;

changesamaygbe made without departing-from m the spiritra-ndiscope ofithe invention.

I claim:

1. A device for the treatment of finger nails comprising a body member having an end portion provided with a plurality of flat sides providing between them longitudinal sharp edges, each of said sides being diametrically opposed to. one.- of; said edges, the: distance between one edge of the fiat side opposite; thereto: being different from the distance between another edge and. the flat side diametrically opposite thereto.

2. A device for the treatment of finger nails, comprising a generally circular body member having an end portion provided with a plurality of fiat sides. providing between them longitudinaliedgesaeachzdf said sides being diametrically opposed toone of said edges, and the distance between.each.edge and the flat side opposite thereto being different from the distances between. the other edges and fiat sides opposite thereto.

GUSEDAV AaGARLElON;

REEEEENCES5 CITED.

The following refrencesare' ofi record" in the file of this patent.

UNITED. STATES- PATENTS, 

